The Venerate Order

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Strafe

Rousseau?! The Prince of Yuwheria? It took me completely by surprise. Although my time in the prison cell was short, I had time to contemplate what this had all meant. Did Rousseau murder his father? Why were we being arrested for saving the city? How did the Slates infiltrate so deeply? And who was this Marcio and how was he able to pick up the God Blade, when no one else had the ability to do so?

More questions had been created than resolved from the attack, and I was afraid the blame would be placed squarely on our shoulders.

They'd undressed us and put us in all white buttoned-up shirts and pants, with white shoes, which didn't look bad except for the word "fygas," which meant fugitive, on the front right side. Brutus was put in a cell across from me, but it was too small for him. I could tell he was cramped and suffering.

We were kept in the prison cells underneath Castle Bell, every one of us except Rousseau. I wore humongous, heavy handcuffs with a Siopi Stone engrained in it; they must've known about our abilities. I had the feeling it was only a matter of time before we were recognized.

My cell was simple; a bed, four walls of dark red brick, metal bars and a crack in the ceiling that was dripping water. Oh, and there was a toilet too. I felt like every second locked up in here was another second my friends and family had to suffer, and that's what bothered me the most.

I had to stay for only three nights before I was summoned to stand trial. One of the guards passed his baton across the prison bars as he made his way over to my cell. He stood there for a few seconds before motioning to his left, and more guards came over.

"Rocknus, Strafe," the guard addressed me, "You are to be tried in court. We are authorized to deliver you there by any means necessary. There is to be no strife, do you understand?"

"Yes. Yes, I do. Anything to get outta this dump," I shook my head.

They unlocked the gate and I walked out of the cell, then two guards stayed behind me while one led the way. I didn't get to walk two paces before one of the guards behind me jabbed me in the back with his weapon and sent me to my knees. The wound on my back was still tender and I let out a grunt. Brutus growled through his muzzle.

"It's okay, Brutus, be good," I told him.

"I think you ought to be a little more respectful, ya terrorist bloke," the guard whispered in my ear.

After they picked me up we walked for what seemed like forever past cells and cells of inmates. Living conditions down here weren't terrible, but with no sunshine, no freedom, it might as well have been hell.

After walking up a ridiculous number of stairs, we reached the surface to meet a Mag-truck, on its way up the hill to Castle Bell. As I stepped on board, I was shoved to the floor of the vehicle. They then put a black bag over my head and began to kick me in the ribs repeatedly until I couldn't breathe. I laid there feeling completely defeated. Whatever rights I was supposed to have were obviously thrown out the window.

The guards took off the bag and dragged me by my arms into the Castle. I wished I hadn't been so groggy from the beating to fully appreciate the gorgeous hallways decorated in gold.

We made it over to a courthouse inside the Castle. The place was already filled with an audience, jury, witnesses and even the King himself perched up at the back of the room. This courthouse had marble floors with the flag of Yuwheria draped behind which sat the King himself. To the King's left stood Commander Vero with a few of her guards as well as the slimeball Marcio, who was gnawing an apple. I noticed the word "Zenith" written on his right bicep.